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Letter to editor: Keep donations in Ramona

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Keep donations in Ramona

The two lead articles on the front page of this past week’s

Sentinel

dated Nov. 21 prompt me to write this letter not only to the editor, but too all residents of Ramona.

The dire financial and manpower shortage at Ramona Senior Center and the food donation shortage at the Ramona Food and Clothes Closet made me think once again about the large red filled food barrels in the lobby of our local supermarkets.

I wanted to make sure that our residents know that all of the food that is placed in the red San Diego Food Bank barrels gets loaded on trucks and gets sent “down the hill.”

The San Diego Food Bank does not serve Ramona at all except for a small donation to help Ramona Food and Clothes Closet with its monthly food distribution.

At the same time, these supermarkets also have empty drums requesting food donations directly for donations to the local food bank at the Food and Clothes Closet. I would hope that all the fancy advertising about the San Diego Food Bank red barrels does not deter our Ramona residents from placing their food donation bags in the local charity drums so that all of their donation stays in Ramona to help our needy families. Or better yet, wherever you buy your groceries in Ramona, put together a bag full of goodies and deliver to the Food and Clothes Closet on Main Street.

As far as the Senior Center needs, I believe that the best thing to do there in the spirit of the holidays and your planned end-of-year charity giving is to send a check over to the Senior Center on Aqua Lane. I believe, that due to many health and safety regulations, they cannot accept donated food for their own use. You might also consider going over to see Ray Cardona and sign up as a volunteer.

Please join with me and my wife in bringing a few bags of food over to the Food and Clothes Closet this week. We have already sent our check to the Senior Center. You will all feel better for it!

Charles Teichert Jr., a Ramona resident, is a former Ramona Senior Center board member.

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